Denture



C. HINCHEY.

DENTURE.

APPLICATION FlL-ED OCT- :0. 1919.

1,327,674. latnted 'Jan.13, 1920.

v a i a fl i ovvce 5 CHARLOTTE I-IINCHEY, F BUFFALO, YORK.

DENTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 13, 1920.

Application filed October 10, 1919. Serial No. 329,772.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLOTTE HmoHnY, a citizen of the United States, residing 'in Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dentures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto a denture for dental plates have at times been made roofless so as to expose the roof of the mouth and thus enable the person to fully enjoy the taste of food. Roofless dental plates as heretofore constructed have, however, been unsatisfactory on account of the difficulty of retaining the same in the proper place.

It is the object of this invention to provide a roofless upper dental plate which not only can be easily applied to the roof of the mouth as well as removed therefrom but also will be securely held against displacement when in use and not unduly obstruct the interior of the mouth.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a cross section of one form of my improved denture showing the same applied to the roof of the mouth, the section being taken on line 11, Fig. 2. Fig.

'2 is a longitudinal section of the same taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view therof. Fig. 4 is a perspective showing a modified form of my invention. Fig. 5 is a cross section showing another modified form of one feature of my invention. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary inside elevation of a denture equipped with still another form of my invention. Fig. 8 is a cross section thereof.

Similar characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Although my improved denture is applicable to human mouths which may be variously shaped and having some or all of the upper teeth missing, the same in this instance is shown applied to a mouth having an upper jaw 10 on which all of the teeth are missing on the lower edge or gum 11 thereof.

As is well known the roof oi the upper jaw of the human mouth is provided at its front end on opposite sides of the longitudinal center with two internal front cavities 13 and on transversely opposite sides of the rear part of this roof the same is provided with longitudinal internal side cavities 14:, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The denture shown in Figs. 1-3 and embodying my invention and designed to fit this formation of the upper jaw is constructed as follows:

15, 15 represent two sections of the body of the upper dental plate which is roofless and of substantially U-shape or horseshoe form and constructed of vulcanized rubber or any other suitable material. The -two sections of the plate are movable transversely toward and from each other in order to permit of securing the same to the roof of the mouth and removing the same therefrom. For this purpose the joint between these sections is at the front ends of the same and these ends are connected by a hinge, the pintle 150 of which has its aXis arranged vertically, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The sections of this plate are provided on their lower edges with teeth 50 which are to replace those missingin the upper set. On its upper side this plate is provided with a marginal groove or channel 16 which engages with the lower edge or gum of the upper jaw. The inner wall 17 of this groove projects with its front curved part above the adjacent front part of the companion outer wall 18 of this groove and is provided on its forwardly facing side wlth two spherical projections or protnberanees 19 which are arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the plate. These projections engage with the front cavities 13 of the upper jaw and assist in holding the plate against dropping after the same is date these Clasps the rear parts of the inner walls 17 are provided lwith notches 21 which receive the lower ends of these clasps, respectively. The lowerends of the clasps are movably connected with the rear parts of the plate sections so that the outwardly curved upper ends :22 of the same can be engaged with and disengaged from the side cavities ll of the upper jaw when attaching the plate to and removing the same there-- from. This movable connection may consist of a pin 23 passing horizontally and lengthwise through corresponding eyes 24, 25 on the lower end of each clasp'and the adjacentpart of the plate. as shown in Figs. 1 and :2. The upper ends of the clasps may be retained in their spread or operative position in engagement with the cavities ll of the upper jaw by any suitable means, for instance, as shown in Figs. 1 -3. by a pair of horizontally swinging toggle links 26 which are pivotally connected with each other at their opposing inner ends by a vertical pin 27 while their outer ends are pivoted by vertical pins 28 to lugs-2! which latter are pivoted to the inner sides of the clasps by means of vertical pins 291. l'pon swinging these links backwardly, as shown by dotted lilies in Fig. 3, the clasps are drawn inwardly toward each other which permits the plate to be easily applied to the upper jaw. and then the links are moved forwardly into a straightened position, as shown by full lines in the same figure, thereby spreading the clasps so that their upper ends engage the side cavities of the upper jaw and retain the plate securely in place thereon. The forward operative movement of the links is preferably limited by a stop device consisting of a stop flange 30 arranged on one of the links and engaging the .other link adjacent to the pivotal connection between the same.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the links are shown curved upwardly close to the roof of the mouth so as to interfere as little as possible with the movementof the tongue and passage of food through the mouth. If desired,

, the two sections of the plate may be made into one piece as shown at 151 in Fig. l and the two clasps may be moved into and out of engagement with the inner side of the mouth by a pair of horizontally swinging links 26]. which extend straight across the space between the clasps and are pivotally connected with each other by a pin 271 while their outer ends are pivoted by pins 281 to lug 291 on the clasps.

Instead of employing 'a pair of links which fold and unfold the same result inav be attained by a retaining bar 31 which is prov1ded at its opposite ends with sockets 32 adapted to engage frictionally with buttons 33 on the upper parts of the clasps, in the manner of press buttons, as shown ,in F igs. 5 and 6-. The same purpose may be accomplished by providing springs 34: for yieldingly holding the upper ends of the clasps in engagement Withthe cavities 15 of the upper jaw, each of these springs surrounding the pivot pin of one of the clasps and engaging its opposite ends with the same and the adjacent part of the plate, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The outward movement of each clasp under the action of its spring is preferably limited by stops 35 arranged at opposite upright edges of this clasp and engaging with the adjacent inner wall of the plate.

The several forms of my invention shown and described are comparatively simple and inexpensive in construction, the same do not unduly obstruct the interior of the mouth nor interfere with eating or the tasting of food, and the same can also be readily applied to the upper jaw and securely held thereon so as to avoid liability of the plate becoming displaced.

I claim as my lINGIltlOllZ l. A denture comprising an upper plate adapted to support teeth and provided on its upper front part with a projection which is adapted to engage with a cavity in the front part-of the roof of the mouth.

2. A denture comprising an upper plate adapted to support teeth, retaining clasps movably mounted at their lower ends on the inner rear parts of said plate while their upper parts are adapted to engage With cavities on opposite sides of the. rear part of the roof of the mouth, and a retainer connected with said clasps and operating to hold the same in engagement with said cavities.

3. A denture comprising an upper plate adapted to support teeth, retaining clasps movably mounted at their lower ends on the inner rear parts of said plate While, their upper parts are adapted to engage with cavities on opposite sides of the rear part of the roof of the mouth, and a retainer connected with said clasps and operating to .hold the samein engagement with said cavities, and comprising two links having their opposing inner ends pivotally connected with each other while their outer ends are pivotally connected with said clasps.

-L A denture comprising an upper plate adapted to support teeth, retaining clasps movably mounted at their lower ends on the inner rear parts of said plate while their upper parts are adapted to engage with cavities on opposite sides of the rear part of the roof of the mouth, and a retainer connected with said clasps and operating to hold the same in engagement with said cavities and comprising two links having their opposing inner ends pivotally connected with each other while their outer ends are pivotally connected with said clasps, and a stop device for arresting the movement of said links when straightened relative to each other in one direction.

CHARLOTTE HINGHEY. 

